It feels like Newcastle’s stuttering start to 2025/26 is finally starting to turn, with genuine momentum gained over the past 10 days thanks to home wins over Benfica (3-0), Fulham (2-1) and Spurs (2-0).
We are 8th out of 36 in the Champions League after back-to-back wins, through to the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup and have won five of our last six in all competitions, keeping four clean sheets and scoring 14 in that time.
But, and it’s a big but, we have really struggled away from home in the Premier League so far, failing to win on the road all season after three 0-0 draws and a frustrating 2-1 defeat to Brighton two weeks ago.
This is a big reason why we remain 12th in the table and four points behind the European positions – but that can soon change if we build on a trio of home wins and the confidence it should have created within the group.
This Sunday, we travel to a West Ham side in total disarray. We may not have won away in the league since a 3-0 win at Leicester in April, but Nuno’s Hammers have lost five of the last six and haven’t won at the London Stadium since a 2-0 win over Leicester in February!
Discussing the match in Friday’s press conference, Howe said: “This is a big game for us. As we go towards the next international break, these next two games are huge.”
“It’s only with back-to-back wins are we going to propel ourselves up the league table. There’s a lot of teams around us in the table and you are looking for one win to break out of it. These next two games are big games for us.”
“They (West Ham) have a group of very good players, especially in the attacking areas, we are going to have our work cut out to limit the space for their attacking talent. Our away form has not been strong enough and we want to put that right in this game.”
Team news
Lewis Hall could return to the squad if he comes through training feeling good, with the left-back all-but back from a hamstring issue picked up in our 4-0 win at Union SG.
Yoane Wissa has been ruled out and is “not close” to training fully with the squad as he builds up his fitness, meaning we may be waiting until Man City on 22nd November (after the international break) to see him or Tino Livramento (knee).
Sven Botman is fine after “nasty cut” from the Fulham win kept him on the bench in midweek and Sandro Tonali is fit, despite being “at 80%” against Spurs after working his way back from a bug.
For West Ham, they will be without striker Niclas Fullkrug, centre-back Konstantinos Mavropanos and full-back Oliver Scarles.
Predicted XI
(4-3-3): Pope – Trippier, Thiaw, Botman, Burn – Bruno, Tonali, Joelinton – Murphy, Woltemade, Gordon.
After eight changes against Spurs and a performance featuring so many strong displays from several squad men, Howe has plenty to ponder heading to West Ham.
It’s a great problem to have and will serve us well as the busy schedule continues between now and Christmas, but I do think we’ll revert back to an XI very similar to the side who saw off Fulham last Saturday.
With that in mind, I think we’ll see Pope, Trippier, Botman, Bruno, Joelinton, Murphy and Gordon come back into the side, and Tonali to make his Premier League return after Miley started both of last week’s home games against Benfica and Fulham.
Match prediction
Given West Ham’s wretched home form and Newcastle’s struggles on the road, it feels like a game where something has got to give. And I think it will.
We have the momentum, the form, better players and a better manager, arriving into this boosted by three straight wins while West Ham look in a total mess.
It’s a massive game in our season and a huge opportunity to get that away-day monkey off our backs, and I think we’ll do exactly that with a solid away win.
Big Nick to score again, Gordon to get in amongst the goals and Newcastle to be too quick, too strong and too organised for a pretty hapless Hammers side.
Prediction: West Ham 0-2 Newcastle
Howay the lads!
